Millie Elder-Holmes' touching tribute to dad, Sir Paul Holmes

Sir Paul Holmes and daughter, Millie, in 2013 at a special ceremony to appoint him a knight of the New Zealand Order of Merit. Photo / Richard Robinson, NZ Herald

Millie Elder-Holmes, daughter of Dr Hinemoa Elder and late broadcaster Sir Paul Holmes, has marked the seventh anniversary of her father's knighthood with a heartfelt post on Instagram.

Alongside two images of the pair, Elder-Holmes wrote a touching tribute explaining "On this day 7 years ago January 16 my dad, the man who grew me up and taught me so much, Paul, schmoo was knighted for his services to broadcasting in New Zealand. A month later he was gone. And it still really really hurts."

Holmes lost her father to cancer when he was just 62, two weeks after receiving his knighthood.

View this post on Instagram

❤️How crazy is greif❤️ I compartmentalize my life’s events. The sad things sit nicely organized to little boxes, but sometimes things spill out. Often it’s random, special dates or photos can set me off. Or I can just wakeup emotional. Days where tears just flow naturally. And I never try to stop it. I think that’s a big thing Ive noticed and only people who have also lots people they love will get it. You shouldn’t shun that pain. It’s logical. Greif is love with no where to go. If you lost a parent or a partner that you loved with your whole being, that feeling of loss will never go away, it may lay dormant, you may be able to organize it and keep pushing forward; Beceuase you know really they would never leave you and they would want you to make the best of your life. But it will never not hurt. On this day 7 years ago January 16 my dad, the man who grew me up and taught me so much, Paul, schmoo was knighted for his services to broadcasting in New Zealand A month later he was gone. And it still really really hurts. Greif and sadness is just a part of life, it’s not here to purposely hurt you it just is what is it. It’s all about balance with out unhappiness what would happiness be. Everything has a season and a time. I belive the worst thing you can do is block or feed into your emotions too much. Balance in all things 🙏🏻 ofcorse this takes time I’m speaking now 7 years later

A post shared by Millie Elder Holmes (@findingmilliee) on Jan 16, 2020 at 1:31pm PST

Her post has received almost 8000 likes and support from followers including one who wrote: "Beautiful words. This is exactly what I go through after loosing my Dad 14 months ago."

And another who shared: "I can def say theres been no journalist to grace our screens with his pizazz and personality. (sic)"

Elder Holmes is a lifestyle and wellness influencer based in Greece, where her parents met, but has spent the summer at home in New Zealand, mainly on Waiheke Island with her mother.

Before arriving in New Zealand at the end of last year she shared that "For the first time in 5 or so years after the loss of my dad and my partner so close together these holidays seem worth celebrating."

View this post on Instagram

Καλό μίνα • Good Month • it’s officially cold in Greece now, and it’s not real for me that I’ll be having a summer Christmas with my family back home this year. That quintessential kiwi Christmas with family, beach swims, tan lines, barbecue and everything else that is Christmas in New Zealand For the first time in 5 or so years after the loss of my dad and my partner so close together these holidays seem worth celebrating. For some that may sound quick or others it may sound like a long period of time. But I’m excited to make new amazing memories this Christmas with the people I love and who love me. In the past i didn’t feel like this, I wanted it over ASAP. I want anyone and everyone who has been through grief to know that there is no one way, or rule to how, when and what you should do while your grieving. It is a process and it’s extremely personal. Grief can make you do crazy things, and you can also completely lose yourself inside it. So if your feeling it this Christmas, share those feelings with someone you trust, someone who gets and will support you. A problem shared is a problem halved. And if you don’t have someone like that send me a voice message. I am always here 💕 . . . . . #dec #Christmas #greif #loss

A post shared by Millie Elder Holmes (@findingmilliee) on Dec 2, 2019 at 2:16am PST